Page 31

I barely make it through my front door before my phone starts ringing.

I sigh, dropping my bag onto the counter before fishing it out of my jacket pocket.

Jake.

Of course.

I hesitate for half a second before answering. “Hey, big brother.”

“Don’t ‘big brother’ me.” His voice is flat. Too calm. Which is how I know I’m in trouble.

I close my eyes. Shit.

“You want to tell me why Kingston mentioned seeing your car parked out front of Grant’s place… all night?”

Damn it, Kingston. I am going to murder him.

I clear my throat. “That guy lives near Grant? Huh. Well, maybe he should mind his own business.”

Jake lets out a slow breath. “Kenzie.”

I wince. Yep. He’s pissed.

“I was going to tell you that we’re getting more… serious,” I say quickly. “Just… not like this.”

Jake is silent for a long second.

Then, low and even—the calm before the storm—he says, “I talked to Grant. I know you two are serious. I was just hoping you’d have told me yourself. It looks bad on me if guys on the team know shit that I don’t know about you.”

It’s not just about Grant. It’s about us. About the time I hid that disaster of a relationship in college until it exploded—and Jake had to pick up the pieces.

About the time I swore I’d tell him the truth next time. And now here I am again.

I sink onto my couch, rubbing my temples. “I get it.”

Silence.

“Jake?”

“I’m going to kill him if he hurts you.”

I groan, flopping onto my back. “You are not going to kill him.”

“The hell I’m not.”

“Jake, listen to me.” I sit up, gripping the phone. “This is not some fling for me. It’s—”

I stop.

Because how the hell do I even explain what this is?

“It’s serious for you. And it damn well better be serious for him.”

I swallow, nodding even though he can’t see me. “Yeah. It is.”

Jake is quiet for so long I start to wonder if he hung up. But then he sighs.

“It’s super weird, sis. But I guess I need to get used to this, don’t I?”

I blink. “Wait. You’re not going to go full caveman?”

He mutters something under his breath, then louder, “I mean, do I love the idea of my little sister dating my coach? No. Do I love that he’s fourteen years older than you and has a kid? Also no.”

I open my mouth, but he cuts me off.

“But,” he continues, voice firm, “do I trust you to know what you’re doing? Yes. Do I think Grant is a good guy? Also yes.”

I blink. Well, damn.

“So,” Jake says, “I just have one question.”

I brace. “What?”

A pause.

Then—

“Are you happy?”

I exhale, my chest tightening in a way that feels a lot like love.

I nod, smiling softly. “Yeah, Jake. I really am.”

Another pause.

Then—reluctantly—

“Okay. I’ll back off.”

I let out a relieved breath. “Thank you.”

“But if he screws this up, I reserve the right to beat his ass.”

I grin. “Duly noted.”

Jake sighs again. “Goddamn your Silver Fox.”

I burst out laughing.

Because if my brother is resorting to my nickname for Grant, I think I just won.

The second I hang up with Jake, my phone buzzes again.

I glance at the screen and groan.

Talia.

With a sigh, I answer. “Please tell me you’re calling to say you booked us a girls’ trip somewhere warm and far away.”

Talia snorts. “Nope. But I am calling to say you have exactly five seconds to tell me everything before I lose my damn mind.”

I close my eyes. “You’re worse than Jake.”

“You’re damn right I am,” she says. “I don’t have to pretend to be all supportive and reasonable like big brothers do. I get to be nosy as hell. I want minute by minute updates!”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I literally just got home.”

“Perfect. That means you have time.”

I sigh, sinking onto the couch. “Fine. What do you want to know?”

Talia makes a dramatic thinking sound. “Hmm. Let’s start with: everything.”

I choke. “Jesus, Talia.”

She cackles. “What? I need to know.”

I rub my temples. “Okay, I think our connection is going deeper.”

She gasps. “I knew it. I knew this one was going to stick around if you did. The way you talked about him? You were totally doomed.”

I roll my eyes. “Okay, calm down.”

“Nope. Not happening. Next question: Are you in love with him?”

My stomach flips.

Because it shouldn’t be this hard of a question to answer.

Talia goes quiet.

I exhale slowly, pressing my fingers to my lips. “I… don’t know.”

I hear her inhale like she’s about to call me out, but I beat her to it. “Don’t say anything.”

She pauses. Then, softer, “Kenzie.”

I sigh. “I just—I didn’t plan for this. I didn’t expect this. And now, I don’t know what to do with it.”

She’s silent for a long moment. Then—

“Well. Have you considered the radical concept of just… letting yourself be happy?”

I laugh dryly. “Yeah, because that always works out.”

“Kenz.”

I close my eyes. “I know. I just…”

I swallow.

Because Talia’s right.

I am happy.

And that? That’s terrifying.

Because happiness means I have something to lose.

Talia sighs. “You don’t have to say it yet, babe. But when you’re ready? Just don’t let fear be the reason you don’t.”

I nod, even though she can’t see me. “Thanks, T.”

She hums. “So… you really let the Silver Fox steal your heart, huh?”

I groan. “Goodbye, Talia.”

Her laughter echoes through the phone as I hang up.

After I hang up with Talia, I just sit there.

My apartment is quiet. Too quiet.

The kind of quiet that lets thoughts creep in.

I pull my knees up to my chest, staring at my phone like it might give me answers. Like it might tell me what the hell I’m supposed to do with everything I’m feeling.

Because I am feeling something.

Something too big to ignore.

My conversation with Jake is still looping in my head. Are you happy?

I didn’t even hesitate before I answered.

And that’s what scares me.

Because happiness isn’t something I ever let myself get attached to. It’s always been something I visit—not something I stay in.

But with Grant…

I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to run. I want to stay. That realization hits me square in the chest.

Like my brain is finally catching up to what my heart has known for a while.

I’m in love with him.

I squeeze my eyes shut.

Because damn it, that changes everything.

It was supposed to be casual. Fun. A no-strings, no-expectations thing.

But now, every single piece of me is tied to him.

And the worst part?

I don’t even mind.

I exhale slowly, pressing my forehead to my knees.

I’m in love with Grant Maddox.

And now? I just have to figure out what the hell I’m going to do about it.